The Further Education of Two Women in Love
by Mdme Curie
Summary: Kate takes Caroline on a romantic get away during the summer break.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Sally Wainwright created the characters and is the mother of the 'Last Tango' story-world. My muse borrows a few characters for a bit of a creative fling every now and then. Copyright infringement... go bug someone that thinks endorsing ownership of creativity is a truth. For yours and my enjoyment... do with it what you wish.

The further education of two women in love  
or a case of knowing me, knowing you  
by Mdme Curie

The taxi flew over the Monteverde Nuovo, straight through a chaos of traffic. The City of Rome flashing past in blurred lines of all colours imaginable.

Kate squeezed Caroline's hand, happy and thrilled that the blonde agreed to go away with her for a week. She had researched and planned a week filled with history, language, science and copious amounts of Italian food, wine and fabulous sex in a five star hotel.

The blonde had not taken to the idea of all but their destination remaining a mystery to her at first but Kate's skills of persuasion were growing stronger and the older woman relented. In secret Caroline was gaining quite the appetite for letting go of the control. She just played the resistance so well, Kate fell for it.

The languages teacher's mind travelled back to the conversation she and Caroline had during a freezing cold Ides of March kind of morning. William and Lawrence got into a rather vicious fight about the latest stupidity of their father. Both of them snapped and Lawrence decked William in retribution of a rather base remark about his friend Angus. It was just as well they were spending most of the summer far apart, each at an opposite end of the UK. The whole sibling rivalry got Caroline talking about her favourite holiday in Rome many years ago. Apparently the boys broke out in a fight in the middle of a tour of the Colosseum. The tour guide threatened to throw them to the mercy of real gladiators if they didn't stop the fisticuffs. They had to put up with Lawrence wanting to become a gladiator when he grew up for a year after that. Every long object became a sword in his clumsy hands. The redhead escaped to his room, bored and a bit embarrassed by the old stories of his mum.

When William had also gone to bed and the wine smoothed over his mother's raw nerves, she opened up a side to herself Kate had not seen before. Dreamy blue eyes giving away the fonder memories of the Eternal City, clearly still on her mind.

"Kate, there's a monument to one of my heroes of the Renaissance on the Campo de F'iori. His name is Giordano Bruno." One eyebrow disappeared behind blond bangs. "John got bored with the classical history so I never got to visit his statue and honour his memory."

"Tell me, who is this Huomo Universalis?" Kate got comfortable, draping her legs over Caroline's lap. Fascinated she leaned back and listened.

Taking a long sip of her Shiraz the head teacher started, "Well, his extensive and brilliant work in philosophy, ethics, geometry, alchemy and physics were the subjects he was most revered for. His volumes on astrotheology were what got me hooked. He had a very poetic voice and could catch abstract concepts in crystal clear imagery." Caroline's face lit up, her hands and voice more animated than usual as she spoke. "He had to encrypt his research at the end. He used allegory because the Church wanted absolute control of what constituted as the truth in his time, even if it was a pack if lies. The inquisition burned him at the stake in sixteen hundred."

"That's horrible!" Kate frowned, visibly apalled at the horific waste of a life.

"There's an intelligent, conscious design at the core of everything in our universe. The beauty of it, to me, says no bloody way it's all just one random big bang with no meaning or purpose to it." Caroline blushed, realising she had shown a very personal and deep running passion for the bigger questions in life to her lover. "Bruno's work taught me that." She whispered shyly.

"So not a waste then, after all." The languages teacher tucked her legs under and sipped her wine, feeling elated Caroline opened up to her like this. She could just picture her strutting around the cobbled roads and lanes of the ancient city. A city she herself had fallen in love with when she and her best friend Shannon Grey decided to do the Grand Tour, Uni budget style.

"I've been invited to write a guest column in the Oxford student science rag... been wracking my brain to come up with a theme. Now I know what the subject will be. The great thinkers and researchers of the Renaissance and how there work inspired me to become a teacher."

Caroline held up her glass in the direction of the second floor. "Thank you Will and Lawrence for the violent but very useful memory jolt."

Kate joined her, chiming in with a giggle, "Boys!"

And so Kate's surprise took shape in her mind. Keeping it a secret from her curious lover all winter and spring was the hardest part but all had come good.

Soft lips kissing the back of her hand as the taxi slowed to a halt at the Via Del Biscione, brought her back to the present moment. The huge grin on Caroline's face made her heart leap. "Ready for a week of you and me, no boys, no work, no phones, nothing but us?" She questioned, knowing the answer full well.

"Get me into the hotel room and I'll show you just how eager I am to be alone with you, beautiful." Caroline threw her a saucy smile and opened the cab door.

Handing the flirtatious cabby a handful of cash, Kate spoke fluently, "Mantenere il cambiamento, molto grazie! Buonanotte."

Impressed, the cabby exchanged the money for his business card, sliding it into the dark beauty's hand, retorting playfully. "Chiamami se hai bisogno di una guida alla città dell'amore."

"Grazie", Kate giggled, jogging up the stairs of the luxurious yet intimately sized hotel.

"What did he say?" Caroline enquired, a tiny speck of green tainting her baby blues. "My Latin is rusty."

"He wants to have babies with me and he reckons you'll do nicely for a cleaning maid." She deadpanned, entering the hotel lobby.

Caroline grabbed the darker woman's hand and tugged her close. Acutely aware they were in the middle of the lobby of a high end hotel at peek hour, she stopped short of kissing Kate. Instead, leaning into fragrant, dark curls she breathed, "You are in such deep trouble, young lady."

"Keep calling me young lady and see if I care." The cheeky reply came, accompanied by a sly grin.

Their luggage and room were being prepared as they enjoyed complementary drinks at the Augustine bar, richly decorated as if it were an emperor's palazzo.

Stifling a yawn, Caroline leaned back on the soft chez lounge, taking in the amazing details and lush fabrics the hotel displayed.

Kate's cheeks ached from all the grinning and smiling. She was glad to be sitting down after a long day travelling. She sipped from her Chianti and sunk deeper into the pillows of the armchair. The flight to Rome had only taken a few hours but actually getting to Manchester airport took the most work. Her muscles relaxed and her mind stopped running though all the plans she'd concocted with the help of Celia and Alan, to make this the best get away ever. Alan knew the city better than she did and Celia knew Caroline. They had actually formed quite the team.

An usher came to invite them up to their suite. He pointed out the way to the second floor, presenting Kate with the key card on a silver tray. Alone in the lift, the raven beauty couldn't resist and pulled at her lover's coat lapels, placing a gentle kiss on warm, willing lips.

The lift bell rang, breaking the lovers apart except for their entwined hands. Leading the blonde down a short hall to room number 11, Kate swiped the key card over the magnet lock and stepped back. "After you, sweetheart."

Awestruck she watched Caroline's eyes go wide and her jaw drop at the lush decadence shining all around them. The huge bed, the flowers everywhere, the lounge area, the candles all over the room, the classical art adorning the walls, all equally overwhelming and beautiful.

Her eyes falling on the view from the large window, a large stone figure, lit from all corners of the square caught her attention. Caroline realised where they were, dropped her hand luggage where she stood, clapping her hands to her face squealing. "You booked us a room with a view of the Campo Del F'iori and Bruno's statue."

Kate could only nod, happy tears threatening to spill, she rushed at Caroline and kissed her deeply.

The head teacher melted into her lover, tasting the slight bitter-sweet tang of wine and salty tears on her tongue. "Let me make love to you, Kate." Her voice raspy with emotion, she tugged at the dark beauties trench coat, spinning them round in the direction of the en suite.

A line of discarded heals, stockings, skirts and lingerie led to the double sized steam shower. Dark skin pressed up against the foggy glass wall, a hand clasping at the water fountain, Kate could barely stand. Caroline didn't let her go until she was utterly sated. She came one last time with a loud cry, sagging into Caroline's strong arms panting heavily, quivering around strong fingers.

Wrapped in a red silk robe, relaxing on the king size bed in her lover's arms, Kate came back to herself, the shaking of her muscles stopped. Digging a hand into the blonde's robe, feeling soft skin ripple under her fingers, she leaned up for a kiss.

"Save that for the morning, darling." Caroline whispered tiredly, pulling a roaming hand from the under black silk clinging to her bosom. Kissing the younger woman passionately, she pulled her on top of her body, dark hair falling around her face. "Tomorrow I surrender to your command, Mistress McKenzie." Caroline promised, breaking away from hungry lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Blue shadows danced before her eyes, the half moon illuminating the room just enough to distinguish where she was. _Rome, with Kate, in a five star, on a king-sized._ She mused, digging her nose deeper into her lover's dark mane, pulling her body closer. Adrenaline shooting through her system, she suppressed a giggle, realizing the early hour and the fact that Kate was fast asleep. _Patience Caroline!_

Kate murmured cutely, moving one leg up higher on the mattress, her body fell forward a little, her bum pressing back into Caroline. _Shit! How am I supposed to fall asleep again if she does that?_

The blonde slipped her arm from it's warm little nest around Kate's waist to bite on her knuckles when the younger woman decided to turn around, snuggling flush against her body contently. A sweet little sigh escaping Kate's pouted lips just under Caroline's ear almost forced a moan from her. _Sweet jesus on a life raft!_

_What the..._ Kate disappearing under silk sheets and down her torso pleasantly interrupted the head teacher's inner monologue. A soft wet kiss against her nether lips enticed a deep groan, all frustration forgotten. Caroline's mind went blank but her body responded. It was all the communication Kate needed to take her to heaven many times over.

A sticky, panting Caroline stared up at her lover with glassy eyes. "You, my dear, should be a controlled substance!" She huffed in a high pitched voice, still raw and raspy from the exertion. "I am totally fuck drunk."

"And you are going to be the death of me!'" Kate chuckled dramatically. "By sleep deprivation. You wag your bum like an exited puppy dog and rouse everybody else in the bed when you wake up, Elliot." The raven beauty slapped Caroline on the behind and leaned down for a long, slow kiss. Slumber took them again as the night drew closer to morning.

Blinking against the harsh sunlight spilling through the shutters, Kate was the first to rise and spy, with one eye open, a trolly full of fruit and tea and coffee and pastries just inside the suite door. Stretching her arms and legs leisurely she hopped down from the bed and into the nearest robe. Happy to see a fan of sliced mango she collected the delicious looking plateau of food, grinning as she sauntered back to the bed. Slightly startled she felt a pair of eyes on her. Caroline lay sprawled out on her belly, propped up by several pillows, staring at her intensely.

"Good morning, Caroline. Sleep well?" She inquired before sliding more mango into her mouth, making sure to lick the sticky juice off her fingers thoroughly.

Caroline swallowed hard, not able to move her eyes off her girlfriend. The bedroom eyes, the bedroom hair, the open robe showing off her fit frame and caramel skin in all the right places.  
She knew right there and then that she would do just about anything Kate asked her to, except admit that fact out loud.

"Kate, when uhm," Her voice braking, still dry from sleep she scraped her throat and tried again. "When did you know you liked women?"

The languages teacher placed the tray she carried on the bed and sat down beside Caroline, feeding her a strawberry.

"You don't have to tell me if, if..." Kate silenced her lover with another strawberry, delivered between her lips, mashing the fruit between warring tongues. Holding Caroline's chin gently she broke the kiss and added in a reassuring tone, "Please, feel free to ask me anything, sweetheart, anything."

Kate stretched out next to Caroline, sharing the rest of the fruit as she answered the question earnestly.

"Well, at sixteen I had this huge crush on a girl that worked at the local cinema but she didn't notice me. I was heartbroken. Then a summer love, we met at the Edinburgh Festival when I just turned eighteen. She was my first and we've stayed best friends. She lives in New Zeeland now with her girlfriend."

"Is she, whatsit... Grey, Shannon Grey, the woman you Skype with?" Caroline wondered out loud, feeling quite privileged to be allowed a peek into her lover's life before they knew each other.

"I always knew but also wanted children back then so, Richard..." Kate trailed off, not wanting to drag up the darker memories during such a happy time. "Let's not go there, you know all about that part of my life anyway." Kate scrambled up and leaned over Caroline on all fours. "I have something quite different in mind." Wiggling her eyebrows. "We have a personal guide at our disposal all week. But since it's the first day of our first holiday together, ever, I want to screw you senseless at least a few times before we even contemplate leaving this suite." Kate leaned in and whispered into the blonde's ear. "I don't want to get arrested for public indecency, because at the moment I couldn't be trusted to keep my hands to myself."

Caroline gasped as two fingers entered her roughly, a thumb sliding up and down her clit. "I don't mind your hands not keeping to themselves." She panted, giving as good as she got.


	3. Chapter 3

"The coffee here is to die for." Closing her eyes Caroline was gone with the cappuccino fairies, enjoying every creamy mouthful. The touristy hustle and bustle around them zoning out for a few moments, except for the sweet libretto of a baritone singing live from La Boheme, accompanied by a string quartet on the square.

Their view of the newly renovated Pantheon was breath taking, especially after Caroline enthralled her with her personal tour of the temple for the planets, with it's open ocular in the centre of a grand, fractal dome. How her golden hair lit up in the single beam of sunlight. Her whole body making the dramatic mythology come alive. The story kept Kate hanging on her lips. The way the scientist tied all kinds of subjects into a natural and logical system of symbols, spirals and cycles, was more stimulating than the mainstream yarn being told around them in a noise of languages.

Kate closed her eyes behind dark sunglasses for a while, happy to just soak up the rays and sip on an iced tea, while her lover relaxed under the shady side of the of the cafe parasol. Reaching across the table Kate lazily laced her fingers with Caroline's free hand. Peering over her glasses she winked and spoke just above the buzz of the crowd, "Rome suits you, gorgeous." The tailor made black, linen tunic and chino's had her fitting in with the natives to the nines. The turquoise choker, roman sandals and a black little Ray Ban made her look positively edible. Quite the contrast to her own casual ensemble of a black and white, tie-dye muscle-t and torn off jeans with trekking sandals. They both attracted a bit of attention now and then but the Romans were laid back and friendly and expressive when it came to recognising beauty and love. The response a wink or an enthusiastic "Bella" made them rather enjoy the attention. Flirting was an art and when in Rome...

"Kate, what time are we meeting the guide at the hotel?" Caroline squeezed Kate's hand as she enquired about the day's further plans. "I wondered if we have time to get out of this heat for a bit. My freckles are getting freckles."

Throwing a wad of cash on the table for the drinks, Kate rose to her feet giggling, taking Caroline up with her. "Not till five. I'll treat you to some gelato to cool off."

"Yum" the blonde licked her lips, "That sounds positively delish."

"So uhm, Caroline", Kate's voice scaling up in question as she swung their linked hands between them, manoeuvring the crowded tables and chairs filling the side walk. "How long do you think you'll need to cool off?"

"Oh, dunno" the blonde replied, peering over her glasses, her irises a dark shade of blue, indicating one thing only.

"Right, so, it's a short walk from here to the hotel... yeah" Cutting herself off she followed Caroline out of the crowd, upping their pace towards the closest Giolitti parlour.

Keeping to the shade of the perfectly placed trees, lining the broader lanes of the Aventine, they enjoyed the relaxed vibe of siesta. Shops were closing and the pace wound down to a drowsy hum. Wild cats and birds picked at the forgotten leftovers of lunch in the bleaching rays of the afternoon sun.

Passing a copy of the statue of Venus, Kate slowed to a halt. Leaning against the cold marble she watched Caroline intently, the blonde's muscled calves getting a nice work out on the irregular cobbles sloped down hill. "Caroline look, there's a statue of you." She said, her voice loud enough to shake the older woman from her chocolate induced haze.

A spoon full of ice cream held mid bite, Caroline turned and doubled back, eying the weathered statue up and down with a worried look on her face. "Are you winding me up again, McKenzie?" Caroline bumped her hip against Kate's, looking at the younger woman from the corner or her eye.

"Yeah, I'm from Yorkshire. That's what we like to do up North, go to great lengths to wind folk up. It means we love ya." Kate inhaled sharply, realizing what she had just said in her native dialect.

"God, I love you, Caroline." She repeated, locking onto cerulean blue eyes as Caroline faced her fully with a serious expression.

Caroline stole a sweet kiss and whispered, "I love you too, Kate, with all my heart and soul." Taking the conversation over to a bench under the shade of an umbrella tree, the older women took the empty ice cream carton from her lover's hands and threw it in a large bin with her own. "Come here." She patted the spot next to herself on the bench with the letters SPQR on the backrest.

Kate sat down, leaning in for another kiss, lasting longer and growing deeper fast. Feeling Caroline slip a hand around her neck, digging her nails in as the kiss became urgent, she gasped, pulling away, "Let's go to the hotel, before I can't stop myself and eat you out right here."

"That would be too naughty." The blonde kissed her lover one more time before Kate dragged her to her feet quite short of breath."

"You haven't seen no naughty yet, Caroline." The dark beauty promised, enjoying the fact that her lustful gaze caused goose bumps despite the searing heat.

It took them minutes to reach their hotel, along the Spanish steps and down a shaded back alley to the square. The front desk clerk handed Caroline their key card and winked. "Ah, la bella signora, spolverata di polvere di cioccolato." He almost sang as she accepted the card from him with a bright smile.

In the lift Kate slid her arms around Caroline's waist, inhaling the sweet scent of sun and outside on a hot day, locking her lips onto the salty pulse point of her neck.

"Wha, what did, Oh god, what did the clerk say to me?" The hand sneaking under her tunic made speaking unbelievably difficult.

Grinning, Kate stopped the onslaught and translated, "He said, quite accurately, if I might add, - there's the beautiful lady with the chocolate dusting." Trailing her fingers ever so lightly over the path of sun kissed and recently darkened freckles on Caroline's arms, she leaned in, sucking the other woman's lower lip into her mouth.

The hotel seemed disserted or it was because they had eyes for each other only that the two of them rolled and stumbled from the lift to their room, kissing like a pair of randy teenagers.

Taking the key card from Caroline's trembling hand, Kate managed to open the door, dragging a laughing blonde behind her.

As soon the door closed, Caroline felt strong hands grab and turn her, "Kiss me." It was an order.

Kate pulled the other woman towards her forcefully and in a heartbeat their lips crushed together feverishly.

Feeling Caroline's hands disappear under her t-shirt again, soft fingers caressing her bare skin, she moaned her pleasure into the kiss,

Caroline's movements became impatient, rough even and Kate knew that her lover was tittering on the edge of self control. Something that tantalized the languages teacher to no end. The idea that this controlled and contained woman felt safe enough to lose herself with her was entirely erotic and more intoxicating than she had ever known intimacy to be before.

Caroline tore her mouth away from the raven beauty, gasping for breath as Kate moved slightly lower, biting her neck. A reoccurring and thrilling revelation, this personal detail, the desire to bite. It was fortunate for both of them that Caroline didn't mind a little biting at all. She felt something break free inside when Kate sunk her teeth into her shoulder. A raw animalistic lust that had never been let out of it's cadge before now.

Moved beyond belief she was, being with this intelligent and beautiful woman, her equal in all ways. Caroline wrapped her arms around Kate's body, feathering her fingers in the other woman's hair "I want you." She whispered into Kate's ear, her tongue tracing the outline of the delicate shell as she spoke. "I want you so bad, I ache."

Sun kissed yet pale skin in black linen clinging to her flushed body like a desperate lover, Caroline no longer needed to will her body to move, the heat subsiding in the ariconditioned suite. Her eyes dark with need and hands trembling, she stripped Kate of her clothing.

Kate, no longer wearing more than her underwear, her hair down and tangled, kept her gaze steady and loving.

It was Caroline who broke the moment, gently pulling Kate's chin down to kiss her, to devour her, to make love to her mouth with a thoroughness that made the woman tremble in her arms.

The younger womas ended the kiss, gently guiding Caroline towards the bed. She kneeled down, reaching for the doctor's feet, winding down the straps of her sandals and pushing her onto the foot of the bed.

"Beautiful!" Kate commented, her hands slowly trailing up the silk skin of Caroline's well toned calves, stopping to tickle and kiss her in the warm hollow of her knees.

"Mercy!" Caroline murmured, sinking just a bit deeper into the freshly made bed.

Purring with delight, hands moving up further still, thumbs hooking under Caroline's skirt, pushing the garment up over her hips, Kate determined the pace. She pulled the blonde's tunic off all the way in one swift motion.

Caroline's giggle was a wash of nerves and need and a little fear. "You have become quite efficient at stripping me down."

Kate dipped into the valley between her lover's breasts, kissing and nipping and licking her way around the soft globes one by delicious one. Areolas clenched and nipples puckered as her tongue and lips left a moist trail. The younger woman moaned greedily. A slight rasp of teeth made Caroline gasp at the sudden change of sensation.

Caroline wrapped her legs around Kate's hips as they rocked against each other in gentle sync with the oldest rhythm in the universe.

The hunger coloured her eyes a dark shade of indigo and her lover's near frantic movements held Caroline in a seductive grip. The emotional free fall was worth every bit of the risk.

Cupping Caroline, feeling the wet warmth against her hand, Kate took her time and studied her lover's reddish, flaxen curls and swollen lips. Her thumb tracing light circles that were far too wide, missing the blonde's clit by that perfect distance, just enough to drive her crazy without giving her even the barest hint of satisfaction. "I see that ginger locks occur naturally in your gene pool."

Determined to keep the control, Kate watched Caroline wriggling and listened to her cute squirming for more pressure. Slowly entering her lover with a few fingers, her eyes rolled back at how slick the doctor was from her touching and teasing. She retreated ever so gently, making sure she pressed up across the spongy tissue just a few digits in before pulling out completely.

Caroline couldn't help whimpering at the loss of contact and desperately mewled but got silenced with a hard kiss.

"Oh, for God's sake!" The blonde cried in a fevered pitch and grabbed hold of the younger woman's shoulders, pushing her towards her need.

"What is it you want?" Kate asked her lover sweetly. "Tell me, Caroline."

The blonde's head thrashed.

"Say the words, my love."

"Fuck... me." Rushed over Caroline's lips her face flushing.

She was immediately rewarded. Kate eagerly dove in, lapping and tugging at her labia, licking and brushing quick, playful strokes with her tongue, inhaling her scent deeply.

There was Kate's tongue, finally, but nowhere near where she needed it most.

Enjoying the sexy frustration she was causing, the younger woman took her sweet time but Caroline was beyond begging and pushed up with her hips trying to take over. "Right there, right there, right there!" She chanted with a husky voice.

A resting tongue leaned heavily on her clitoris. The blonde yelled as loud as she dared, "Bloody hell Kate, let me come... please"

And so Kate gave in, the perfect amount of pressure and persistence had her whimpering and cursing. Matching her rhythm she entered the blonde, rocking in the velvety warmth around her fingers. Caroline came hard, her body wracking, abs clenching together breathlessly, her expression frozen in rapture.

Covered in a sheen of sweat, hair tussled and clinging to her face, Caroline slumped onto the mattress. Kate crawled up tightly next to her, listening to the blondes raspy breath, waiting for her to come down from what ever stratosphere she'd shot to. Feeling very pleased with herself, she rested her head against a heaving chest, listening to the wild beating of Caroline's heart.

Pulling away from Caroline slowly, Kate made eye contact with one still very wound up lover and hotly breathed into her ear, "Don't move from this bed." Slipping a black silk scarf from under her pillow, the languages teacher blindfolded her.

Shivering with anticipation, Caroline propped herself up on an elbow, hearing her lover rummage around. She took a deep breath to steady her raging desire. She felt her head start to swim at what was about to happen to her and flopped back down again, breathing deeply, allowing herself to process these new sensations. She remembered what Kate had said. Where she once would have assumed the worst, led by fear, the thought of surrendering control now exited her immensely.

_'I'm not going to tie you up suspended from the ceiling or whip you or use a strapless on you. I don't mean that kind of control, Elliot. Well, not yet," Kate promised.'_

Her left hand drifted of its own accord over her breasts, cupping them one buy one on their way towards one very slick centre.

Soft, shivery moans and the heady scent of a more than ready Caroline drifted across the room towards Kate. Kneeling down on the end of the bed, Kate took in the sight of her lover pleasuring herself.

"Didn't I tell you not to move?!" Kate spoke suddenly, startling the blonde a little.

The older woman chuckled nervously, stilling her hand reluctantly. "But I never moved from the bed." Innocnce dripping off her reply.

Kate crawled closer to Caroline, clasping her hands around the darker woman's hips. Pulling her closer still, she draped long luscious legs on either side of her head.

Caroline gasped as she suddenly felt Kate's mouth full on her. A strangled cry the result. Just before she reached her peak, Kate stopped all direct stimulation, blowing cold air at her sopping centre.

"Jesus Kate". The blonde moaned, her voice hitching an octave higher.

Kate straddled her lover, tangling a hand into the golden locks of Caroline's hair, pulling her into a searing kiss. Her other hand slipping one end of a strapless into herself, her moan muffled by the kiss.

A throaty, raspy whimper rushed from Caroline's mouth as she felt something hard entering her. Inching all the way in slowly, giving her time to adjust to the feel of walls stretching and muscles keening and hot sweaty skin touching.

Taking all the time in the universe, Kate rocked her hips smoothly, working the strapless in and out of her lover gently until the she felt the blonde urging her to go faster. Hips bucking and moans transforming to desperate mewls, her hands clenching at white tangled sheets until the blood drained from her knuckles, Caroline lay engulfed by the pleasure the penetration caused.

Pushing herself up on her knees again, Kate reached down, circling Caroline's throbbing bud in languid, wide circles. Her hips rocking with more force and purpose, matching the frenzied movement of the women writhing under her.

Just before her lover came, she pulled out partly and slowed down her fingers, letting her own body 's desire climb in reaction to the thrusting toy working her slick pussy.

"Caroline, look at me, I need you here with me, love." Untying the scarf, Kate locked eyes with her lover.

Blinking, Caroline's eyes got used to the light. Gazing back with an almost wicked grin, Caroline held on and let her in. The sight of Kate's well toned and taught, sweat beaded muscles working for her pleasure, had her body humming with renewed lust.

Bashing her head into the pillows, eyes fluttering as Kate moved faster still, more determined, Caroline didn't make a sound. She couldn't. All efforts to moan or scream crushed by the tight grip Kate had on her body and soul. She came gushing all over the bed but the raven beauty did not stop there.

Pulling the blonde's quivering legs further over her shoulders, Kate connected two fingers along both sides of her lover's clit. Rubbing faster and harder she thrusted the strapless into Caroline relentlessly until abs clenched, hips undulated franticly from the hot, shuddery rush of orgasmic release. Kate repeated this for as long as her own muscles allowed and Caroline begged her to stop.

The echo of her own orgasm took up the last of her energy, wracking her body until both women fell into a boneless heap on the bed. Hard breathing the only sound in the room.

As the sun cast longer shadows over the walls of their hotel room, the two lovers slept in each other's arms until a knock on the door woke Kate.


	4. Chapter 4

"Flavia, this is Caroline Elliot, my partner." Turning from the immaculately dressed elderly woman to the younger, uncharacteristically dishevelled version of her lover wrapped in a light, cream shawl, hiding a red sundress, Kate added, "Caroline, this is Flavia Casca. My favourite Italian teacher." Introducing the women to each other with a wide grin, Kate took a step back giving them room.

"Vedo la città dell' amore ha già rapito i sensi." Flavia spoke with flair, winking at Kate and then taking one of the blonde's hands, lifting it to her lips and firmly planting a kiss on the back. "Pleased to meet you, Caroline. Please, call me Flavia." A pair of the lightest brown eyes peered up at her over the rim of designer glasses before turning to Kate with a warm familiarity.

"You look enchanting as ever, Katharina." Flavia raked her eyes over the dark blue linen suit Kate wore with a white tank top.

The dark beauty stepped into the waiting arms of her old teacher, hugging the smaller woman gently. "Tale e l'onore di essere con voi ancora una volta, Flavia." She said almost breathless, feeling giddy as a schoolgirl. Kate sat down at their table in the bustling Augustine bar and took a large swig from her iced water. Caroline joined her and Flavia chose a chair across from them.

"I was just saying to Flavia, what an honour it is so see her again." Kate translated for Caroline and leaned in closer to the blonde, "She said, it looks like the city of love has already abducted our senses."

Caroline dropped her head onto Kate's shoulder, feeling her cheeks go bright read. "Are we that obvious?" She huffed close to chuckling.

"Only to wise and experienced eyes." Kate whispered into her lover's ear, giggling softly. "We need to work on your gay-dar sweetheart."

Caroline sat up, her eyes wide, hiding behind bangs as the comment hit home. Her hands worrying at the zipper of her camera bag, she opened her mouth to comment but thought the better of it.

Flavia and Kate reconnected as though they had last seen each other yesterday, instead of a few years ago. Their banter was light and warm. Caroline enjoyed how her lover's mannerism's and body language became more determined when she spoke Italian. Her teacher was tactile and had a lovely open face. The woman could have stepped out of a nineteen thirties movie with her sleeveless Chanel and silk stola, a little silver cigarette case never leaving her hand.

"May I suggest we finish our drinks and walk to the Forum Romanum. It is most beautiful at sun set." Flavia downed her glass of water and stood resolutely, flattening her black dress.

Caroline followed suit, pulling Kate along with her. "That sounds wonderful. Lead the way, Flavia."

What seemed like gentle rolling hills littered with derelict ruins and rubble soon transformed into a time warp, back to the days of Emperors and their larger than life architecture. Monumental effort went into creating the vast temples and causeways dedicated to gods and men alike. As did the pain staking renovation of the grounds.

Flavia walked them from the Via Del Fori Imperiali, passed the statues of many famous names, up Capitoline hill to the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, leading godhood of the classical Roman Parthenon. From there the forum was packed with temples for major gods like Venus and Rome, Mars and Vesta, Saturn and Nerva. Where Flavia told the mythical and literal stories with patriarchal interpretation, Caroline supplemented the much older allegory referring to the procession of the equinox and planets from a feminine perspective.

Kate sauntered along blissfully, both arms occupied, a woman on either side, listening to them speaking passionately, bouncing off of each other like two old scholars. She fell in love with Caroline all over again if that was possible. Her blue eyes lighting up, her effortless delivery of the patterns of natural law and science in a way that had Flavia hanging on her every word and playfully sparing with the younger woman's agile mind. The languages teacher followed her mentor and girlfriends' debate, enwrapped as they switched from Italian and Latin to English and back again. Flavia conversed in the up tempo, staccato tongue of a born and bread Roman, while Caroline almost sang in the more drawn out tones of the southern provinces of Italy. That's when it dawned on her. _My Latin is rusty my arse. Caroline understood every word, of everything. Right, game on, missy._

Among the remains of the temple of the Vestal virgins, a ballet group performed sacred dances. The heady scent of frankincense filled the air while a hushed din of voices came form the circle of tourists around the temple ruins. Lighting a cigarette, Flavia waited to the side of the show, enjoying the golden sheen of the setting sun that bathed the eternal city.

Neither of them particularly moved by the dancing, Kate signalled Caroline to follow her and shuffled out of the crowd to a darker area. Passing a row of pillars, Kate pulled Caroline to her abruptly, taking her inside a small niche of the Basilica of Amelia, or so the sign they jumped over off the designated path said. Their lips locking like a volt, both women melted into each other, letting go of some of the tension that had been building between them all evening.

Gasping hard, Caroline couldn't move from the sudden jump of blood pressure between her legs, caused by a well placed knee.  
"Fuck, oh shit. Not..., oh god, not here." She panted hard against her lover's ear, the look between them loaded. Barely able to keep her self upright the head teacher spread her arms wide, pressing her hands against stone walls. "Io non ti capisco, mio bella. Sto per farti implorare per ora!" Kate stated in a low voice. Then the pressure was gone. It took all her willpower to keep breathing and not to drop to her knees, like a puppet cut from its strings. Taking a few minutes to gather herself, the blonde stayed behind in the shadows of the pillars. Watching Kate throw her a cheeky grin over her shoulder as she rejoined her old teacher, Kate's words started to make sense. _Bugger, I'm busted._ Wrapping her shawl around herself, Caroline found her way back to the other women, making a point of it to admire the columns as her breath slowed to normal.

Flavia waited for the large group of people to disperse, before climbing up the next level of the Forum grounds to Trajan's Palace and the baths of Caracalla. "The most recent excavations of fine boned china have shown us that here, British ladies that did the Grand Tour in the eighteenth century, took there afternoon tea in these very gardens.

"I can just see Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter now, sipping their cream tea from a Wedgwood service -lugged all the way around the world by servants, mind you- quoting Baedeker under the shade of the orange trees." The remark slipped from Kate's tongue with more sarcasm than intended. The laughter breaking out around her among a neighbouring group of British tourists and Caroline folding over, slapping a hand in front of her mouth, reassured her the flippant comment was more than well received.

Moving along with the crowd, Flavia waxed lyrically about the politics and conspiracies that were plotted and planed in the baths on all levels of society. She eventually ran out of historical tid bits and got out a lighter as she spotted the two women gazing at one and other, deeply in love. " Il tempo per una pausa sigaretta." She chuckled as their eye blazing intensified.

Kate tore her eyes off Caroline, moving closer to the rim of a smaller bathing pool. Admiring the mosaic floor, for the largest part intact she felt the blonde's eyes were still on her. She turned and leaned up against what was left of a stone windowsill, contemplating the view and catching the cool breeze chasing through the eroding ruins. The empty field that was once the famous Circus Maximus seemed eerily out of synch with the Forum and well kept palace grounds. Picturing chariots speeding past, the raven beauty closed her eyes, letting the fresh air cool her heated face.

The familiar scent of amber and vanilla mingled with the dry almost metallic dust of the site. Her head lulled back against a strong shoulder. A warm hand suddenly snaked around her waist and under her tank top. She felt something sleek along the seam of her slacks, causing her heart rate to soar and the pulse between her legs hammered wildly. Her breath hitched as skilled fingers sped up their movements.

Caroline closed her shawl around her lover and coaxed her close to a climax, retreating before the crescendo. "Due possono giocare a quel gioco, amante!" Caroline whispered into Kate's ear before she let go, forcing Kate to grab onto the edge of the windowsill for dear life. A devilishly lopsided grin showing her amusement, Caroline weaved her way into a fresh group of passing tourists.

Flavia was waiting patiently when the two ladies turned up, walking hand in hand, not a care in the world. Symbolically, the Roman woman made a salute to Julius Caesar, throwing a coin into the well in the courtyard of the temple named after the first Emperor. "Here is where the Republic of Rome died and the first Emperor raised his title to demi-god. As paradoxes have it, a great day and also a tragic day." Pulling her stola closer around her small frame in the cooling night air, Flavia added. "And this is where I end the tour of the Forum Romanum my dear friends."

"Will you join us for some super, Flavia?" Kate invited her old friend with a hopeful smile. "

"That would be a perfect way to end a wonderful day, mio cara." Slipping into Kate's waiting arm, she accepted the invitation. "But only if you let me call a friend to say we need a table for three. Come, we dine al fresco." She tangled the small fingers of her free hand around Caroline's, leading them on the short walk to her friend's restaurant, passing the impressive Castel Sant' Angelo on the way.

Al fresco dining at 'Antonio's' was a roof terrace, overlooking the Tiber. Their table was surrounded by palm and fig trees in large terra cotta pots, creating a private ambiance. A gentle breeze blew in over the water, cooling a balmy night.

They sampled the simple yet delectable, seasonal cuisine and wine until the late hours of their second night in Rome. The chef took Caroline on a tour of the kitchen and she returned with a number of new recipes to cook at home. After the Tiramisu, Flavia got up, promising to guide them through the Vatican museum the day after tomorrow. She leaned into Kate, whispering something below her breath that made the dark beauty blush deeply. She kissed Caroline's cheeks before she departed.

"Shall we have one more Amaretto." Caroline slurred sweetly over the edge of her sticky and empty little glass.

"Oh, go on then. Twist my arm." Kate giggled, already quite tipsy from the lush amounts of wine served with and in between every course.

Entwining her fingers with Caroline's, the raven beauty leaned over the table and asked in a hushed tone, "Did you enjoy today, Elliot?"

"You have to ask?" The blonde leaned in as well, licking her lips slowly.

Shaking her head no, the languages teacher giggled. "I haven't decided if we should go to an old bar and get rip roaring drunk, or rush back to our hotel and get naked."

"I think I've had my fill of old buildings for today and would like to take a tour of your body." Slamming the fresh round of Amaretto down like a shot, Caroline stood, sinking straight back down on her chair hard." Let's try that again, shall we." She raised herself up again, gripping the edge of the table as the floor seemed to rush towards her fast.

Catching the blonde before she slumped back onto her seat or hit the ground, Kate rushed to her aid, holding her lover, steadying them both. "Come on you, let's get out of here."


	5. Chapter 5

Hello sweethearts, another spree of the imagination with our hot duo and this time with a translation of any Italian I may have used at the bottom of the chapter. Thanks for all the great reviews!

"Wear my love like heaven, Wear my love like heaven.  
Color sky havana lake, Color sky rose carmethene, Alizarian crimson... wear my..."

"Caroline!" Kate yelled over her girlfriends song she recognised but couldn't put a name to. Snatching her hand before the blonde wandered further in the wrong direction she added. "This way, gorgeous." Caroline's unsteady strut stopped abruptly.

Giggling at Kate's exasperated expression her body swayed and crashed into the younger woman. "What's the plan, Batman?" She asked with a lopsided grin, wobbling on her red stiletto's and gripping Kate's arm with two hands in an attempt to steady herself.

Not hiding her amusement the raven beauty managed to keep them vertical and on the footpath, while the night traffic flashed passed at a hectic pace. "I'm trying to get us to a taxi stand but you insist on wandering off the moment I let you go."

"So, don't let me go." Caroline leaned into Kate heavily. Toppling onto a low stone wall between the footpath and the hedge rows, Kate broke their fall pulling the blonde onto her lap as she landed on her bum with a thud.

Taking advantage of her position, Caroline captured Kate's lips with a long, deep kiss as the younger woman opened her mouth about to say something. The words transforming to a moan of pure pleasure, Kate let the older woman ravish her mouth.

A wolf cry and a loud "Andare lesbica*." coming from across the road reminded Caroline where she was. Reluctantly she broke the kiss, looking down at a pair of half closed, unfocussed dark brown eyes. "Why not call the cabby from the airport. He gave you his card and was willing to show you the way around town, uncle." Kate's warm hands crept under her shawl and around her waist, making it impossible to stand up. Warm caresses turned to poking, tickling fingers making her heave with laughter.

"What did you just say to me?" Kate chuckled, ducking away from Caroline's flailing arms, increasing the teasing and tickling.

"Stop it." The blonde hissed between gritted teeth, trying to suppress another fit of giggles as her lover's fingers dug deeper into her sensitive sides. "Sto... stop it, Kaahaaate." She begged breathlessly, trying to get away, the alcohol in her blood not helping.

"What did you call me?" The dark beauty repeated, her tone stern but her smile revealing the opposite, her hands never ceasing the onslaught.

"I give," Caroline panted at the top of her voice, grabbing hold of Kate's hands and arms where ever she could fasten her grip, trying to stop the tickling. "Enough, McKenzie or I'll make you...p..." Cut off by a new attack, Caroline gave up and panted, "Uncle, I called you uncle."

Not one to be told what to do, Kate kept playing a while longer, making her lover squirm and writhe till she was facing her on her lap. She captured the blonde's face, pulling her down for another quick kiss. "Come on, let's get one of the taxi's waiting over there." She pointed to the end of the street where a few of the drivers stood together smoking and conversing lively.

Wednesday wasn't the busiest night of the week but Rome never really slept. Drawing circles on her lover's thigh as they flew through the city, Kate marvelled at how different Caroline was when they were alone in less familiar surroundings. Would she be the same back at home? She quickly put aside her musings, her attention drawn elsewhere by rippling muscles under her twirling fingers. Thinking was to be done with less alcohol and sex on the brain.

Caroline asked the driver to stop at the square in front of the hotel.

"Mille grazie." The blonde smiled at the cabby, handing him the fair.

With more grace than she thought she'd manage under the circumstance, Caroline walked around the taxi and opened the door for a very charmed Kate.

"Were you born in high heals or what, Elliot?" Kate excepted her lover's hand, stepping out of the cab with a seriously smouldering look about her. She had watched the head teacher stay up right on the most challenging surfaces wearing neck breaking footwear many times before but today took the prize. "No wonder your legs are so... deliciously developed."

"You, my darling, have a one track mind." Caroline flexed her calf muscles as she walked up the steps of the hotel entrance, throwing a teasing wink at the younger woman in her wake.

"Una non si può ottenere abbastanza di esso!"** Kate shot back, her timbre low and husky. Moving towards the stairs when the lift didn't arrive fast enough, she held on tight to her lover as they ascended two flights with a wobbly gate. Caroline leaned heavily against her while she opened the suite door.

"God, you smell so good, I want you." The blonde's whisper tickled her ear, making her whole body tremble, letting the ever present desire for Caroline she kept in check, slip through her veins like a shot of dry ice. Kate put an arm around Caroline's waist, connecting to her lips hungrily. She pulled her into their room and straight onto the bed. She didn't allow the contact to be broken unless a piece of clothing had to come off.

Caroline closed her eyes somewhere around the second kiss and just let the raven beauty have her way for a while. Feeling the unrestrained need in her lover's rushed touches and laboured sounds was a huge turn on. The rawness of it made her wonder for a split second but the heady rush of desire proved too strong.

"I'll keep the shoes on then, shall I." Caroline wrapped her legs around Kate's waist, pulling her lover up higher. Rewarded with a sharp gasp as her tongue traced the areola of a dark nipple, the blonde repeated the manoeuvre on the other perky, plump bud.

Slowly rolling over, Caroline made a trail of kisses down her lover's smooth jaw line and sunk her teeth into the woman's neck. Smiling into the contact she felt Kate move with her. Scraping across sensitive skin she created enough distraction to hide the toy she retrieved from the bed table drawer. Taking her sweet time, alternating between biting and licking and kissing she covered the younger woman's body in loving attention. Her lover responding louder and more feverish than ever, she climbed back up and cupped Kate's cheeks in her hands, waiting for her to make eye contact.

Through the thick fog of raw lust, Kate felt herself being pulled back to the present. Two blurry but unmistakebly loving blue eyes held her captive as soon as she lifted her quivering eyelids. Crashing into the blonde she tried to convey her need, deepening their kiss as her mind failed to form words, let alone speak them. Lacing her fingers into one of Caroline's hands, she guided the hand down between her legs, a cry escaping her as the older woman cupped her centre.

It only took a few strokes before Kate reached her first peak, shuddering hard, moaning into her lover's mouth. "More!" She whimpered inbetween rough, sloppy kisses. "Please!" Rolling on top of Caroline she lifted onto her knees a little, giving the blonde access. Two fingers slipped inside forcefully, doing her in a second time as she cried her lover's name, utterly overcome by the force of release.

Caroline didn't stop. Penetrating the dark beauty deeper and gradually thrusting faster she added a third finger. Feeling Kate impale herself on her hand with a determination and desperation that was new to her, Caroline slowed down and sat them up in the bed, catching the younger woman's lips in a slow deep kiss.

Beads of sweat rolled down Kate's face and back as she gyrated on her lover's fingers. A sexy moan riding out on every hard breath. She held fast to strong shoulders, slowly genteling her tight grip and regaining some form of control over her body, her breathing. The sudden emptiness between her legs caused her to gasp. "Don't stop now." she whispered as her inner muscles instinctively tightened and convulsed, needing something, anything, to clamp down on and hold onto.

Sliding to the edge of the bed, Caroline stood slowly, lifting her lover up in her arms before letting her down onto the strapless waiting between her legs. Ever-so-gently sinking the larger end of the silicone toy inside Kate's warm, wet cavity, slowly, sliding it in, deeper and deeper as smoky, dark eyes widened in surprise, her eyebrows rising a little higher, as her lower lip dropped a little lower from this surprising, most intensely erotic sensation.

Carefully carrying her precious cargo a few steps across the room, Caroline lowered herself onto the high backed end of the chez lounge, taking a deep, shaky breath as the strapless grazed her g-spot. "You okay?" Her eyes searched Kate's face, a hand stroking her cheek tenderly.

Kate nodded, her body instinctively setting a rhythm as she focussed her gaze on cerulean blue, ankering herself as tears threatened to spill over.

"Shhh, that's it, hold onto me darling, just hold onto me," Caroline quietly instructed as Kate began to increase the rhythm, pumping and thrusting a little faster, and a little more forcefully, as she wrapped her arms more securely around the older woman's upper torso. The sensation of their slick bodies firing up the desire to a new level.

"Oh!… God," Kate whimpered, burying her head in against Caroline's neck, gasping, "Oh!... God... Ca... Oh!..." with quick little shivers, her body and insides reacting and responding in the most delicious of ways, her inner walls clamping down hard on the strapless, her hips and pelvis bucking more purposefully into Caroline's mound. She hung on the edge trying with all her might to stay there. As her breathing evened a bit she lifted her gaze inches from her lover's hooded eyes.

They both moaned and groaned, sucking in deep breaths, holding the air inside their lungs when threatening to spill over. Mentally edging her orgasm, conveying her love through her eyes as Caroline held her physically suspended, Kate finally lost all sense of boundary. Who came first and how many orgasms followed she couldn't tell.

Holding on to Kate for all she was worth, Caroline kept going by the force of sheer will power and as long as her body allowed. The friction inside her caused by Kate's bucking hips was driving her towards a delicious frenzy. Falling against the cool back rest of the couch, she lifted her legs, clasping them around her lover. One shoe fell to the floor so she kicked the other off to join it there. Digging her heals into Kate's tight butt, she pumped her legs, urging her lover on one more time. "Come with me, Kate." She panted sweetly as her hands travelled up into damp strands of hair.

Arms and limbs entwined, two bodies wracked and shuddered together as a final release washed through them like a high tide during a full moon.

Breathing calmed and their senses eventually registered the outside world again.

Kate sat up gently, giving their inner walls time to unclamp. "I could stay like this forever." She whispered, relishing the tight embrace of her lover's arms.

"Keep saying things like that and I'll never let you go." Watery blue eyes peered into dark brown as Caroline replied just above her breath.

"You are sooo good, for a beginner." Kate's chuckle soon turned into a moan as the toy shifted inside her.

"For heavens sake, I'm a scientist, married to the internet, love researching, you know. Closeting my curiosity never worked." Caroline ended her high pitched confession, the giggles soon turning to moans and whimpers.

"I kind of counted on that but somehow didn't imagine you'd initiate. Thank you my love." Kate looked down into her lover's eyes before kissing her deeply.

"I can do it, as you have just been privy to and I can think about it." She paused, swallowing hard. "But it's quite another thing to say the words, to... to say what I want you to... "

"We'll just have to practice a lot then, won't we, Caroline."

* Andare lesbica - go lesbians

** Una non si può ottenere abbastanza di esso! - And you can't get enough of it!


	6. Chapter 6

Hi darlings, Thanks for the reviews on ch 5 ;-)

Real life is VERY demanding atm in a good way but I managed to squeeze in a short update. Promise the next one will be longer. I' m loving how this fandom takes the fabulous duo to such very different "places"! No two stories alike and no two C&K pair alike, thanks to Sally's original character moulds, having so many angles and edges to hook onto, so to speak! Righto, on with the story.

It took a generous helping of water, aspirin and coffee to get themselves up and into the shower. Leaning on Caroline heavily, Kate had to chuckle. "Aren't we the hardy pair of party girls."

Caroline sighed, sliding soapy hands across her lover's back in lazy circles. "Should've stuck to the wine. Amaretto is a bitch the next morning."

"Caroline, how much do you remember?" Kate asked tentatively, lifting her head enough to look the blonde woman in the eyes with a searching gaze.

"Why, do you not... ?" Caroline's voice trailed off, sounding flat as the question conked out before finishing. "I may have a mild hangover but I clearly remember every single trust and groan and gasp you made last night, as a matter of fact." Her words brought on a wave of erotic memories that made her shudder and blush profusely. "Your muscles moving under my hands and tongue is exquisite. The way your voice cracks when you come on the toy is breath taking."

"Me too, I remember it all too, my love." Kate whispered into Caroline's ear. "You made me feel so alive and loved. I love that you can go from cute whimpers right to a throaty repertoire of cuss words, it makes my insides turn to hot liquid. And you lifted me up, you are magnificent."

"Magnificently aided by lots of Dutch courage and you Kate, you inspire me to allow... curiosity and to apply my imagination when we make love." The head teacher pushed her lover up against the hot tiles while the water cascaded over dark skin, washing away the suds. Leaning her forehead against Kate's, she cupped the woman's cheeks. "You are a remarkable lover. If my head didn't hurt I'd show you again how much I am in love with you and want you right now but I'll make it up to you soon. Is that all right?!"

"Mmhmm, yeah, sure. Just hold me sweetheart." Enjoying the steam and hot water on her shaky frame Kate pulled the blonde closer still. "I'm starting to see that love is important but so is being with the right person. Come here." Kate captured her lover's lips in a sloppy, lazy kiss.

"Come on sexy, we've got a date with Flavia in a few hours. Let's get into some clothing." Giggling Caroline turned off the shower and added, "Wouldn't want to keep the Italian teacher waiting again now would we."

Reluctantly Kate let go of Caroline, stepping into a warm fluffy towel the blonde held up for her.

Half an hour into their journey, the scenery becoming increasingly rural and coastal, it began to dawn on Caroline that they were in fact not getting closer to Vatican City. The secretive grin on Kate's face and the large bag in the back seat of the rental Jeep all seemed to point to another surprise destination. Leaning her head back against the head rest, the blonde took a deep breath and closed her eyes, enjoying the refreshing breeze flowing around her head.

Not able to resist, Kate stretched out her right arm, resting her hand in the nape of her lover's neck. Blonde locks whipping on the currents created by the speed of the car tickled her skin, sending goose bumps up her arm and down the side of her body. Tangling her fingers into Caroline's hair she gently drew circles on her scalp.

Moaning Caroline rolled her head to the side and gazed dreamily at Kate over her sun glasses, resting her hand on the younger woman's knee. "I'm at the mercy of another one of your surprises, aren't I, darling?"

Kate kept her eyes on the road but put no effort into suppressing an ever widening smile, avoiding those blue eyes that could make her do and say almost anything and just nodded. She needed to concentrate on getting them to Flavia's summer apartment in Ostia, the small harbour town of the district of Rome. Driving on the right side of the road was quite counter intuitive to her. Caroline's hand gently teasing its way up her skirt didn't help but every time she slapped her lovers hand away, it resumed it's tantalizing and teasing trail elsewhere on her body, so for now she chose to ignore. She couldn't wait to get there and willed her heart to stop thumping it's way out of her chest.

"I could get used to this!" The head teacher sighed and stretched her arms out, draping one over the side of the open Jeep, the other landing back on Kate's thigh. "Being carted around to exotic places by the most beautiful woman on the planet."

The pleasure evident in Caroline's voice was music to her ears and the cute sounds she made, stretching out like a cat, made her pulse quicken. Kate couldn't help herself and stole a peek at the impeccably dressed beauty beside her. The hard light on sun kissed skin, the deep cleavage of her sky blue sundress clinging to her curves, unruly locks of hair reflecting the light and oh, damn those eyes. Steering the car towards a dirt track just off the main road Kate parked and had her seatbelt off in a flash.

Surprised by the sudden stop, the older woman yelped giddily as Kate climbed over the gearbox onto her lap. "Kate wha...?" Impatient hands and a hard, demanding kiss answered her unfinished question. Caroline surrendered happily. Sliding her arms around Kate's neck she pulled her closer still, melting into the hungry kiss. Feeling hands roaming her body, inching closer to her breasts, the blonde took hold of the rapidly escalating situation and broke away from Kate's mouth with a loud gasp.

Her lungs almost burning for air, Kate rested her head on Caroline's shoulder, panting hard, dizzy and aroused to the back teeth. "That was..."

"Wickedly hot." Caroline finished for her, her voice hoarse and shaky. "How far are we from our destination, sweetheart?"

Kate sat up and slid back into the drivers seat as gracefully as possible and leaned on the steering wheel, catching her breath.

Never had she felt or shared a connection this visceral and irresistible with a lover. When it completely overtook her senses and mind like that she felt quite mad. "Fifteen minutes give or take a few." Kate managed to reply as their surrounding came back into focus. From the corner of her eye she caught something moving in the rear view mirror, forgetting instantly as soon as she looked up at the older woman's wanting stare.

"And will we be alone or with company?" Caroline required further, knowing she'd have a hard time concentrating on anything else but Kate after that lustful hold up.

"Quite alone!"

"Uhm, Kate, we're, uh, we're not alone here anymore!" Caroline's voice rising to a high squeal before she broke out in a fit of laughter.

Kate scanned around, only to be met by the orange-brown beaded eyes of a goat. In fact, they were surrounded by a heard of them and their Sheppard, standing behind the jeep, leaning on his staff, as if they weren't even there.


	7. Chapter 7

She'd been there once before, as a university student and part of an exchange program. Completely awestruck by the lifestyle of her Italian teacher and her partner, with their trendy avant-garde apartment in beautiful little Ostia. Kate remembered fondly, how she'd been made to feel so at home she promised herself that in the future, she'd share it with the person she 'd end up building a life with. Leading Caroline up the stairs of the old, three story building her heart almost exploded with anticipation. Caroline went a bit shy and quiet on her as they drove up to their destination and grew even more withdrawn when they arrived.

"We're welcome to stay for two nights. Flavia and Stella are going to visit her sister in Luca till Saturday afternoon, so we'll have the place to ourselves to lounge and swim and talk and read and just properly kick back a few gears. Oh I can't wait till you see how beautiful if is here!" Kate paused half way up the stairs, noticing her lover's pace slowing down with every step. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"Auwh, you know me, one of those mountains in my head just popped up, it's... nothing." Swinging their linked hands between them, Caroline averted her eyes and put on her brave face.

"Sit!" Kate delivered in a stern tone.

"What?"

"You heard me. Sit down."

"What here?" Confusion written in her searching eyes, the Doctor tucked her dress under and sat down gingerly.

Kate sat down beside her, dropping their travel bag a few steps above them and turned to the blonde. "Now, take a deep breath and tell me what's happening in that gorgeous head of yours, Caroline, please?" Brushing an unruly strand of hair off her cheek, Kate softened her gaze.

"Like I said, it's nothing, it's... oh, I'm just being silly, forget about it." Caroline spoke hastily. Her eyes darting everywhere, she started to get up when a firm hand around her wrist pulled her back onto the cool step.

Kate pinned her to the spot with both hands and asked again in a gentler voice. "What is it, Caroline? Please trust that I care about your thoughts and opinions very much. How can I get to know you and your needs better if I have to guess at them?"

Caroline affected an innocent look. "Why there's nothing all that important to guess, darling, honestly."

Rolling her eyes, Kate sighed. "I don't believe you for a minute. It's half the point of coming here, to be alone so we can talk about us and... well, us, in more depth." She paused but when no reply came she huffed with apparent frustration. "Oh come on Caroline."

She wanted to speak, she really did but her mind and mouth did not cooperate. Her eyes screaming 'help', overwhelmed by her own thoughts and feelings, Caroline did what her body demanded, leaning into the younger woman, kissing her gently on the lips.

The kiss was not unexpected and so sweet. Wanting to resist, the intimate act not matching how she felt at that moment, Kate refrained, sensing it would make Caroline withdraw even further.

She leaned in, deepening the kiss to reassure more than arouse.

"Aah, Ci sono." A melodic voice rang down the arched, stone stairwell.

"Salve Stella! Un momento per favore.*" Kate called up to their host after breaking away from her lover's lips, the look of a kid caught with her hand in the biscuit tin before dinner on her face. "Saved by the bell, Caroline. We'll revisit this later!" She mumbled under her breath and ascended the stairs with the other woman right behind her.

Flavia and Stella greeted their guests in style, popping a bottle of their best Prosecco. Kate introduced Caroline, who seemed to be easing into the encounter like Kate knew she could but sooner than she expected, kissing their hosts on both cheeks, in true Italian tradition.

Stella Sacci was like Caroline, a striking blonde but with more watery-blue eyes and olive skin. She was easily a decade younger than Flavia and always reminded Kate of a hot summers day.

Caroline was enamoured with her from the get go. The tall lanky Italian was easy on the eyes and her English was flavoured liberally by a distinctive Florentine accent.

Visibly delighted, Flavia invited them to take a seat at the dining table beside the panorama window overlooking the harbour.

Over a delicious pasta lunch, Stella shared a few stories of a young bohemian student that came to stay with them many years ago, making Kate blush under the convenient cover of her darker skin.

"Stop teasing the girl." Flavia warned her lover with mock concern, then quickly added one of her own memories in between long drags of her ever present cigarette. "Remember when we came home from the beach one evening and found Kate completely trapped in the hammock out on the roof terrace. It was quite comical but Katharina had to cool off before she could laugh about it. She almost turned my heirloom crystal collection to dust, clambering around the kitchen like a pissed off coalminer looking for something to throw."

"After being stuck in that bloody contraption for two whole hours. Livid as hell I was!" Kate explained in her own defence, pouting, before laughing along with the rest.

Only just preventing a spray of Prosecco projecting across the table, Caroline covered her mouth with her hand and swallowed.

"Si, our Kate was a little chilli pepper. She burned hot and fast but never long, non è quello giusto, Bella!"** Stella giggled, refilling the glasses with more bubbles except her own.

"But now my beautiful ladies, I am going to get the car ready to take Flavia to her sister, while 'mi cara' will show you around the apartment." Blowing her companions a kiss, Stella got up from the table. Elegantly she walked across the room, her long denim clad legs making short work of it."

Caroline took a sip from her glass and turned her attention to the older women sitting between her and Kate. "I'm dying to see the rest of this fabulous apartment, Flavia. Am I mistaken or do I detect a strong Mexican influence in the interior design?"

"Ha, this one has an eye for it, Kate. You are a mix and match but she knows her colours and styles, very choosy I'll bet." Laughing heartily, Flavia pushed back her chair and got up.

"She has you pegged, Caroline." Kate winked, reaching across to the head teacher's face, gently caressing her jaw line.

The apartment had two floors. Downstairs was open planned with the kitchen in one corner and wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows facing North over the harbour. A large leather couch stood in front of a huge fireplace in the middle of the room. Olive wood with stone red and sky blue were the main colours. Driftwood was used in the furniture and the art, excellently large reproductions of pre-Raphaelites, Waterhouse and one or two original Frida Kahlo's. Upstairs located one large bedroom with a balcony facing the east, a bathroom fitted with all the mod cons and a modest library. The showstopper was the private roof terrace, a canopy of old grapevines providing shade over a luxuriously decked out lounge with an unrestricted view to the South of the sea. A spiralling steel stair led straight down to the beach. No one could look onto the terrace with made it the perfect hide away during the tourist season.

"The hammock is gone then?" Kate giggled when she couldn't find her old nemesis.

"Oh my word, look at that view!" Caroline gasped with joy. Feeling a pair of warm arms circle her waist, she turned her head, whispering into Kate's ear. "Thank you, sweetheart, for taking me to this beautiful place. For spoiling me so much during this holiday."

"You're welcome." Lifting her chin a little with one finger, Kate captured her lover's lips in a loving kiss.

Stella appeared on the terrace to collect her partner, a grin spreading across her face at the sight of Kate and Caroline sharing a moment. Taking Flavia's hand she motioned to the door when they realised that the two younger woman had lost themselves in the kiss, oblivious to their presence and departure.

Leaving a note, a set of keys and two VIP entrance tickets to Pompeij on the dining table, along side a fresh bottle of Prosecco, they left for Luca knowing their home was in safe hands.

Hearing a door close, Caroline pulled back from her lovers soft lips and looked around a little surprised. "I think we're alone."

"Mmm, yeah, looks like it. We'll make sure to thank them properly when they return." Taking a deep breath, Kate suggested, "Let me go down stairs and get our glasses so we can sit out here, have that talk maybe and, uhm, snog some more."

"The snogging part sounds wonderful, but yeah, let's talk too, and did I mention I like the more snogging idea." Winking Caroline let the younger woman go

Returning to the roof terrace, armed with more wine and a selection of olives, cheese and crackers, Kate found Caroline at the railing, staring out at the magnificent view, her thoughts miles away. Putting the tray down on the table of the lounge set she pored the wine out and walked over to the older woman. "Hi"

"Hiya, beautiful." Caroline replied, turning to face Kate, opening her arms in a welcoming gesture. "Come here."

Caroline kissed a line along Kate's jaw before seeking out her lips and sinking into a passionate, open-mouthed kiss that sent desire raging through her. Feeling the dark beauties nipples harden sweetly against her breasts through their flimsy summer attire, she couldn't help smiling against soft, wet lips.

Kate moaned and shifted, pressing into Caroline, pressing against her as her hands traced out familiar patterns of sensation on her body. With much effort she eventually disengaged from the kiss, dragging the blonde along with her towards the lounge area.

Reclining on the biggest lounge bed she surrendered to Caroline's apparent need, not that she was any less up for it. The languages teacher wanted and needed to communicate with words just as much. It would have to wait because Caroline had them both naked in record time and her thoughts were becoming incoherent rapidly.

Reaching down, Caroline gripped Kate's thigh, pulling it up over her hip. Spreading her own legs, she moaned as she felt her lover's fingertips on her, stroking her wetness lightly, teasingly. She raked her fingers through the trimmed patch of hair, and then eased between puffy lips to the nodule already swollen with need. "Hmmm, If I remember correctly, you were thinking about this on the way over," she murmured as silky moisture coated her hand.

"God, lately I'm always thinking of this and it's your own fault," Caroline muttered back, trying not to sound to petulant. Especially since Kate was doing such wonderful things to her, making it difficult to speak. "Sorry I spaced out on you before." Her voice husky.

"I'm sorry I was so impatient." She paused briefly as Caroline stroked firmly, swirling back and forth over the pulsing bud with maddening pressure. Her voice was very unsteady as she added, "We do need to talk though."

"Fuck... that feels so...good, yes, talk... later... promise."

"Oh, God, Caroline, yes!" The exclamation wasn't so much an acknowledgment of what had been said as it was for the pleasure the long, lovely fingers that had just entered her were causing. Caroline had relatively large hands for a woman, and there was no question she could reach deep.

Caroline laughed low, obviously aware of what Kate was responding to as the rest of the conversation transformed into low, husky murmurs of appreciation, whispered instructions, and progressively vigorous whimpers and arousing sounds of passion and joy.

Kate gripped the back of her lover's head, tangling fingers into silky hair, doing her best not to pull to hard as she gasped desperately for air. Her other hand fondled with increasing firmness and intensity as Caroline responded, stroking forcefully.

The afternoon sun was climbing towards its zenith. Their skin slick as they shuddered and trembled against each other, gripped in a mutual passion that seemed to climb and burn at an agonizingly slow pace. Then, with a final, quaking breath, Kate arched against Caroline as her orgasm rushed through her but very aware of her lover's cry in her ear and her body trembling in her arms.

Slowly, gently, tenderly, they relaxed against each other, wrapped up in a glow of pleasure and satisfaction. Hands soothing, comforting as they slipped into the arms of slumber.

* Salve Stella! Un momento per favore: Hello Stella, a moment please.

** non è quello giusto: isn't that right, beauty.


End file.
